Jailed: Leanne Black has made multiple false allegations of rape against a series of ex-boyfriends over the past eight years

A woman who made a string of false rape allegations against five men in eight years was behind bars last night.

Leanne Black, 32, repeatedly cried rape with bogus sex assault reports to police after rowing or breaking up with her former partners.

In one case, Black claimed she had been drugged and raped. In another she told police a boyfriend kidnapped and molested her.

A court heard that her innocent partners would have faced up to five years in jail if they had been found guilty of such serious sexual allegations.

However, Black was herself jailed for two years, with a judge condemning her actions, telling her that genuine rape victims would be undermined by her lies.

The court heard that, in the most recent case in March, her boyfriend Kevin Crowley was held on suspicion of rape after he had called police to report she had thrown plates at him in their flat.

David Wooler, prosecuting, said officers arrived at the scene of the domestic argument at the home shared by Black and her boyfriend – and she turned the tables on him.

Mr Wooler said: ‘When she was questioned by police she told them her boyfriend had raped her while she slept at his flat.

‘It was the most recent in a number of repeated false rape allegations against men since 2005.’Newport Crown Court heard that, in June 2005, Black had made a rape allegation but the case did not proceed.

In July 2006, she accused her then
partner of raping her twice and also claimed she had been kidnapped and
raped. In 2009, she claimed she had been the victim of a serious sexual
assault.

And in 2010, she fabricated a story
about being drugged and raped. Then, earlier this year, she made the
accusations against Mr Crowley.

But she finally owned up, admitting one count of perverting the course of justice against Mr Crowley.

Judge William Gaskell told Black, of
Cwmbran, South Wales, she had made it more difficult for genuine rape
victims to be believed. He said: ‘Police have to take all allegations of
rape very seriously.

Trial: Black was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty at Newport Crown Court, pictured

‘Rape, when it happens, has a devastating effect for victims and causes great trauma. Many women never get over it.

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‘Women who make false allegations like you undermine the whole system and police investigations.

‘It undermines the public’s belief in the truth when allegations are truthfully made.’

Gareth Driscoll, defending, said Black had entered an early guilty plea and made a full admission.
She will serve half her sentence before being released on licence.

Inspector Rory Waring, of Gwent
Police, said the sentence should act as a warning to anyone thinking
about making false allegations of rape.

He said: ‘As well as causing distress
to innocent people accused of this terrible crime, cases like this
distract officers from supporting real victims and prosecuting real
offenders.

‘Those who have suffered from genuine offences are also undermined.’

Siobhan Blake, Deputy Chief Crown
Prosecutor in Wales, said: ‘False allegations of rape are extremely
uncommon, but where they do occur they are serious offences.

‘Such cases will be dealt with
robustly and those falsely accused should feel confident that we will
prosecute these cases wherever there is sufficient evidence and it is in
the public interest to do so.

‘Earlier this year, the CPS published a report highlighting how rare false allegations of rape and domestic violence are.

‘We must not allow these cases to undermine our work to support victims of rape and domestic violence.

‘We want victims to feel able to
report the abuse they have suffered and we are working hard to dispel
the myths and stereotypes that can be associated with these cases.

‘One such misplaced belief is that
false allegations of rape and domestic violence are widespread. We know
that is not the case.’